“Mother-”

Prince Aspen was immediately silenced by the Queen’s hand and there was a tick of annoyance on her face. She spoke to Phoenix, however, ignoring her son.

“When was your last heat, boy?” 

Embarrassment rushed through him and he wanted to flee from the room. These were things he certainly didn’t want the entirety of the Council to know. He did manage to look up then, eyes darting between the Council members before finally resting on Prince Aspen. He wasn’t looking at him, giving off a very aloof stance but he could tell he was listening. 

“U-um,” he twisted his hands together. “When I… When I presented…”

She made a small noise but Phoenix didn’t know what it meant. She motioned to the Council and they picked up their quills and parchments as she began to speak, scrawling quickly to keep up with her. 

“He will receive lessons in etiquette, self-defense and politics. I want him paired with a Chepi and one of the legendary Daarken. If war is on the horizon, he will need to be protected.” 

Phoenix could feel her eyes burning into him but he didn’t meet her gaze. He found himself desperate for Prince Aspen to look at him, to say something about his future but the Prince remained as stoic as before.

“I want at least two guards on him at all times and, Aspen my dear,” She turned to the Prince who seemed to stiffen when spoken to but he turned and bowed his head gently in greeting. 

“Your Majesty?” he questioned softly, any sign of the indignant child he had been moments ago, gone. 

“You will be sleeping with the boy every night so he can grow accustomed to your scent and your presence. He needs an Alpha’s scent to bring about another heat. No marking until the ceremony, is that understood?”

Phoenix felt his heart skip a beat, a warmth spreading through him and chasing away the chill the Queen gave him. But, one look at Prince Aspen had his stomach twisting with nausea. Prince Aspen’s look was one of disgust and defiance but he managed to grate out, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

He wanted to cry. He had never felt so alone in the world. They offered him all the luxuries and yet, his life was still not his own. He was nothing more than a pampered pet Prince Aspen had brought home. He just wanted to return to his room and sink into his bed. Even his inner Omega was distressed from the blatant rejection. Even more than that, the discovery of who his Omega father had been was overwhelming. They had been the stolen Autumn prince, forced to endure King Midas’s cruelty. How his father had been able to treat him with such warmth and comfort only made his heart hurt. He wished desperately that he could remember him for more than a few short blurry seconds. 

Before anything else could happen, there was a sudden commotion outside the doors and the doors flew open. Several guards escorted two very angry Alphas into the room as they continued to shout insults at each other. Phoenix was quick to move out of the way, terrified from the pressure of the Alpha’s scents. The guards forced the two quarreling fae to their knees before the council and the Queen and it was then that Phoenix realized-with a start-who they were. 

“Jynx!” Prince Aspen snarled, coming around the side of the Council table to stand before the Winter soldier. It was clear the fae had seen better days. Barey healed wounds and a heavy bruise on his face. He looked road-weary and covered in dirt and blood. Phoenix remembered that he and Prince Aspen had left Jynx behind with the Prince’s entourage back at the Inn. “What is the meaning of this?” He demanded, eyes shifting from Jynx to Jex who glared at Jynx and continued to struggle in his guards’ grip. 

“I found this Autumn scum outside the main gates! His men attacked us back at the Inn, killing several of my men! How dare he stand here on Winter territory!”

The two males snarled at each other but immediately silenced when the Queen stood. They bowed their heads, their quarrel momentarily set aside. 

“Your Majesty…” They murmured in immediate respect. 

Her eyes were focused on Jex, her eyes like cut obsidian. “I thought you told me you wished to never return?” She asked him, silencing Prince Aspen with a hand when he opened his mouth. 

Jex kept his head bowed. “Forgive my intrusion, Your Majesty. My Queen tasked me with bringing the Autumn Prince back and, since he was in possession of Prince Aspen, my oath of loyalty to my Queen forced me to not leave his side. I mean no disrespect.”

“I assume my son has told you the reason the boy was brought here?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Jex murmured. “I have formed a temporary truce for now until Phoenix’s lineage is confirmed.”

The Queen’s attention turned to Jynx next. “Speak up, what happened?”

Jynx’s voice was clear as he followed his Queen’s orders. “The Autumn soldiers attacked in the night, seeking to take Phoenix. Prince Aspen ordered me and my men to remain there, to hold them off as he took to the night. However, my men and I were unsuccessful in distracting all of Autumn’s soldiers and Jex and a small unit went after Prince Aspen and the Omega. Many of my men were killed before they backed off, leaving us to slip quietly away to return here to inform Your Majesty of what had happened.”

She frowned. “And yet, you both come in here quarreling like children. Shameful. Jex will be placed in a cell-”

“Mother-”

She turned her gaze onto Aspen, a vicious, cutting look. “If you so much as speak up again about my declarations, you will join him!”

The cold mask of indifference crossed his face once more and he stepped back, hands behind his back once more. Phoenix felt a sharp pang of guilt for Prince Aspen, realizing what part he had to play beneath his mother for fear of his own execution. 

The Queen continued once more. “Jex will be placed in a cell for now, until the Autumn Queen can be notified. Jynx, your punishment for your crude manners is to spend the next three nights on guard duty, running the perimeter of the walls. You are not to heal or wash until then. Am I understood?”

Jynx bowed his head. “Of course, Your Majesty.” The guards released him and he stood, exiting the room immediately to begin his punishment. 

Phoenix watched with  bated breath as Jex was hauled to his feet. He felt guilty for the Autumn commander. He had been kind to him, and had even seemed more than friendly with Prince Aspen. It was clear they had history but, in the face of the Winter Queen, they were nothing but strangers. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” he murmured, bowing his head in respect before he was led away. 

Once more, silence fell in the room. 

“Aspen!” The Queen’s sharp command had Phoenix jumping in surprise and fear and he turned his gaze to the Prince. 

“Escort the boy back to his rooms. You will escort him from every meal, from every lesson and keep his bed warm at night. His heat will need to start in less than one moon cycle and I don’t plan on waiting till the next one to begin the mating ceremony.”

A muscle in Prince Aspen’s jaw clenched and Phoenix felt the familiar pain of rejection like a cold wash through him. The Prince’s scent of pine and mulberry was tarnished by anger. 

“Who shall I send to the Autumn Queen to inform her of the Prince’s lineage?” Prince Aspen dared to speak up, partially ignoring the Queen’s demands. 

“Do you seek to do it, my son, to escape your responsibilities to your future mate?”

Prince Aspen remained silent but the Queen looked more than amused. “It seems catering to the boy’s health and wellbeing has become your own personal punishment that I quite enjoy watching. I will send someone to inform the Autumn Queen. You are excluded from your Princely duties until I otherwise say so. Is that understood?”

Again, the cold mask of indifference as he bowed in respect. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Queen waved her hand, clearly now bored with how things had turned out and Prince Aspen turned on his heel and began to walk towards the door. Phoenix paused a moment, unsure, but he certainly didn’t want to be left in the room with the Queen and so hurried after the Alpha without looking back.